Washing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N I L M 0 T T H W (No Model.)

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

N PETERs. Pholo-Lnlwgnphar. Wash (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. T. TOMLIN.

' WASHING MACHINE.

No. 351,298. Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. T. TOMLIN, OF SWEDESBOROUGH, NEW JERSEY.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,298, dated October 19, 1886.

Application filed December 3, 1885. Serial No.18-l,626. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. T. TOMLIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Swedesborough, in the county of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, have invented certaih new and useful Improvements in VVashing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in washing-machines; and it consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the rotary rubber. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the semicircular frame which is suspended in the tub, and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views.

A refers to the body or tub of my improved washing-machine, which is preferably made of galvanized iron or other suitable sheet metal, the side and bottom portions being made of a single piece bent so as to be substantially semicircular in crosssection. Near the upper portion of the side and bottom pieces the metal is bent slightly outwardly, and the ends are bent at right angles, so as to rest upon longitudinal supporting-braces a a. The end pieces, A, of the tub are rigidly attached to the side and bottom pieces, and are provided centrally with vertical slots at, which extend from their centers upwardly, as shown.

The tub or boX A is securely attached to and braced by a skeleton frame, B, said frame extending around the ends of the tub, and at its upper corners said frame is bent at right angles, so as to provide a portion, b, to which longitudinal supporting-braces a are secured. Centrally these skeleton frames are provided with a connecting portion, b, which is bifurcated near its upper end and provided with guide-bars c on its external side, and with strips 0 on its inner side, so as to leave inwardly-projecting flanges, between which the water-gates O, which support the rotary rubber, may slide and present the tub adjacent to these water-gates with a smooth or fiat surface. The skeleton frames B B are connected to each other under the tub by a longitudinal metallic strip, d, and each of the frames have rigidly attached thereto bent legs or supports, upon which the tub will stand. One of the end frames at its lower portion is provided with a perforation, d, through which a spout or spigot, which leads from the tub, will pass, so that the water may be drawn from the tub. By this construction I provide a tub or box for a washing-machine which is simple in construction, the parts being light and strong and rigidly braced, and owing to the manner of bracing and the employment of the skeletonized frames, comparatively light material may be utilized in its construction; and there is but little wood employed, which is a decided ad vantage, as wood, when employed in connection with metallic bodies, is constantly swelling, warping, and shrinking as the wood becomes wet when the machine is in use.

D refers to semicircular metallic strips which are each provided at their ends with hooks d, which are adapted to engage with eyes formed in the spring-coupling attachments, as will be hereinafter set forth. These curved strips are'provided centrally with a series of perforations, through which pass bolts or pivoted bearings, said bolts or pivots entering the ends of a series of longitudinal rollers, which together constitute a semicircular rubber which is supported above the bottom of the tub. The metallic semicircular pieces D,adjacent to their ends,have rigidly attached thereto inwardly-projecting members (F, to which are rigidly attached the upper longitudinal bars, 0, said bars being also attached at their ends to the semicircular strips. The length of the rollers e is slightly less than the distance betwen the semicircular pieces D, so that they may have a slight longitudinal movement which will provide for the longitudinal expansion of these bars and permit them to rotate freely when the machine is in operation.

E refers to a spring-coupling device, which consists of a socket, F, which is provided at its upper end with a projecting portion, which is perforated for the reception of a bolt or rivet which passes through the end pieces of the tub, and also through the upper section of the skeletonized frame, so as to pivotally attach the coupling within the tub. Within the socket F is located a spiral spring, through which is located above'the same. l

G refers to a rotary rubber which is made up of a series of longitudinal strips which are secured rigidly to metallic disks 9, said disks being each provided centrally'with alongt.

tudinal projecting shaft, which is provided with an enlarged portion near their point of attachment with the disk 9, the shoulder, thus formed bearing against the innerportion of the water-gates hereinbefore referred to. The disks 9 are each provided with a series of bent or angular portions g',which are perforated, so that the bolts which attach thev longitudinal strips to these disks may pass. One of the disks has formed thereon or attached thereto a section of a hinge, h, while the opposite section of the hinge is formed on a transverse bar, which is attached to the longitudinal strips '5 r, so as to hold the same together.

with plates j and k, which are each provided with means for'attaching the same to the un-.

der side of the strips. They are also provided with depending eyes through which pass a spring-bolt, saidspring-bolt carrying a thumbpiece which extends upwardly, so as to lie between the longitudinal strips t 13. One of the cross-pieces through which the bolt passes is cut away, so that an upwardly-projecting portion on the disk,which' is provided with a perforation, may come in engagement with the bolt and hold the hinged section in line with the other series of strips. The strips'ii are held at their ends a slight distance from each other, so that they may have a certain amount of spring movement toward each other, thus providing a means for holding upon the rotary rubber garments of different sizes.

The water gates, which slide within the slides O, are preferably made up of three pieces of metal, which are securely attached to each other, thus providing a central recess, in which the flanges at the sides of the slide will fit. The end piece of the sliding gate is of sufficient length to extend below the slots in the end pieces, thus allowing the gate to move a great distance vertically without exposing the slot, so that the water cannot pass through the same. Near the lower ends of these gates are provided perforations, through Thus .the semicircular rubber is suspended in the tub upon springs, so that the same may give vertically to and from the rotary rubber, which the water-gates.

Theoppo site ends of the strips or bars ii are provided;

which the shaft of the rotary rubber passes, one end of said shaft being square-ended for the reception of an operating-crank handle.

To the center portion of the skeleton frame, near its lower end, are pivotally attached spring-sockets, similar'in construction to those hereinbefore described, and the rod, with the eye of said spring-socket, engages with hooks to the lower ends of the water-gates, said springs serving the purpose of holding the water-gates in a depressed position, so as to force the rotary rubber upon the rollers in the bottom of the tub. When it is desired to remove the roller from the tub, the springs are detached from the hooks by grasping the portions h of the same, and drawing them upwardly out of engagement with the hooks on The water-gates and rollers may be then raised and removed from the tub.

In washing clothes with my improvedmachine, they are, preferably made fast to the rotary rubber, between the slats it and the other slats which constitute the rubber, and the inwardly-spring movement of these ,slats will clamp the clothes firmly, and will not cause the slats to be thrown out of the circle.

I am aware that it has been proposed to pivot or hinge solid slats to the ends of archber of a washing-machine, and secure said slats by spring-catches, and I do not claim such construction as my invention.

By providing the sockets F at one side with the perforated extension. the said socket will be pivotally supported close to the tub.

I claim r -1. In combination with a WaShingmachine,

a rubbing-cylinder provided withdisks upon which are secured a series of longitudinal bars, two bars, 1' z, rigidly attached to each other at their ends, so as to provide a space between said bars, so that they may have a spring movement toward each other, said .bars being hinged to one of the disks, perfo-' rated ears secured to the other end of said bars, and a spring-bolt mounted in said ears and provided with a lugfor'the withdrawal .ofthe bolt, anda perforation in the other disk to engage said bolt, substantially as set forth.

. 2. In a washing-machine, a tub or boxmade up of sheet metal, a skeletonized frame located at each end and consisting of horizontal and curved portions and central portion, b, and. having ears b, in combination with braces a a and d, substantially as set forth.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination of a rubbing-cylinder having end disks with outwardly-bent portions, which are perforated for the reception of bolts for attaching slats thereto, said disks being provided centrally with outwardly-projecting shafts, substantially as shown, and for the purposeset forth.

4. In combination with a'washing-machine constructed substantially as described, the

sockets E, provided atone side with an end projecting portion for pivotally attaching the same to the tub, said sockets carrying spiral springs, and bars with eyes formed in their end and a hook projecting therefrom, sub- 10 ends for attaching thereto the bottom frame of stantially as shown, and for the purpose set a washing-machine, substantially as shown, forth.

and for the purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5' 5. In combination with a washingmachine I in presence of two witnesses.

having movable water-gates, sockets with end WVILLIAM H. T. TOMLIN.

extensions at one side for pivotally attaching Witnesses:

the same to the frame of a washing-machine, E. W. JOHNSON,

and a spring-bar having an eye formed in its 1 H. H. TAYLOR. 

